NARA, Japan — The man who assassinated former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe has been sentenced to life imprisonment, more than three years after the brazen daylight shooting that shocked Japan and the world.
Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, was handed the sentence on Wednesday by the Nara District Court after pleading guilty to fatally shooting Abe during a political campaign rally in July 2022.
Prosecutors had sought the maximum penalty, describing the killing as a “grave act” that undermined the foundations of Japanese democracy in a country where gun violence is virtually unheard of.
Yamagami admitted to assembling a homemade firearm using metal pipes and duct tape before firing two shots at Abe as he delivered a speech in the western city of Nara. Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, later died from his injuries.
The sentencing brings closure to a case that has deeply divided public opinion in Japan.
While many view Yamagami as a cold-blooded assassin, others have expressed sympathy over his troubled upbringing and the financial ruin of his family.
Claims of ‘Religious Abuse’
Yamagami’s defence team had urged the court to impose a sentence of no more than 20 years, arguing that he was a victim of what they termed “religious abuse”.
Court hearings revealed that Yamagami’s mother made massive donations to the Unification Church — founded in South Korea — including his late father’s life insurance payout, plunging the family into financial hardship.
Yamagami told the court he developed resentment towards Abe after discovering the former leader’s past appearances at church-related events.
He insisted Abe was not his original target, saying he had initially planned to attack senior figures within the church.
That assertion stunned the courtroom, according to journalist Eito Suzuki, who covered nearly all of the hearings.
“Abe’s widow, Akie, looked utterly bewildered,” Suzuki said. “It was as if she was asking whether her husband had simply been used as a tool to settle a personal grudge.”
In an emotional statement read in court, Akie Abe said the pain of losing her husband would “never be relieved”.
“I just wanted him to stay alive,” she said.
Political and Religious Fallout
Abe’s assassination triggered sweeping investigations into the Unification Church’s activities in Japan, including allegations that it coerced followers into making financially ruinous donations by exploiting fears about spiritual consequences.
The case also exposed longstanding links between the church and politicians from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, leading to the resignations of several cabinet ministers.
In March last year, a Tokyo court revoked the Unification Church’s status as a religious corporation, ruling that it had engaged in manipulative fundraising practices.
Prosecutors argued that Yamagami’s grievances did not justify his actions, saying there was a “leap in logic” in blaming Abe for the church’s conduct — a view echoed by the judges during the trial.
Sociologist Rin Ushiyama of Queen’s University Belfast said public sympathy for Yamagami reflected widespread distrust of controversial religious groups in Japan.
“While Yamagami was clearly affected by parental neglect and economic hardship linked to the church, this does not explain or justify the murder,” Ushiyama said.
As nearly 700 people lined up to witness the sentencing, the court’s decision underscored the gravity of a crime that not only ended a political career but also forced Japan to confront uncomfortable questions about religion, politics and social vulnerability.
